Coal distillation apparatus



Feb. `2, 1932. E. H. RECORDS 1,843,1 74

COAL DI STILLATION APPARATUS Filed oct. 22', 1927 5Z- By A [tori/wy Patented Feb. 2, 1932 UNITED STATES ELMER H. RECORDS, F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON GOAL DISTILLATION APPARATUS Application led. October 22, 1927. Serial No. 227,969.

My present invention relates to improvements in coal distillation apparatus adapted for the production of highly volatile gases and for the purpose of setting free hydrogen Q gas from coal by the chemical action of superheated steam. By the utilization of the coal v still of my invention, I am enabled to produce heating gases to be used in stoves or f furnaces and for the production of coke having all the appearances of the original coal in the form of the solid carbon as a residue after distillation. Both the gaseous and the solid products of distillation provide heating fuels adapted for and efficient in use in various ways.

In carrying out my present invention, I preheat the successive charges of coal as they are fed to the distilling chamber and while a char'ge is in the distilling chamber it is superheated by steam to facilitate the freeing of the volatile gases in the distilling process. While one charge of coal is being distilled, another charge of coal is being preheated in order that the distilling process may be more rapidly accomplished. 4

The apparatus of my invention is so combined and arranged that I secure a close, intimate and maximum contact of steam with the entire area of the charge of coal, and the latter is thoroughly permeated by the steam to insure a rapid and complete destructive distillation by the heat from the superheated steam for the purpose of carrying off the volatile constituents.

Means are provided for charging the apparatus with coal, for feeding the charge to the distilling chamber, and for discharging the coke after distillation, all as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the apparatus showing the manually operated means for controlling the movement of the coal charges through the cupola or still.

In carrying out my invention, I preferably use a brick structure in the form or shape of a cupola having the enlarged base 1 and the reduced feed portion 2, both of cylindrical form. At the upper end of the reduced part 2, I provide a conlcal feed hopper as 3 which 60 is preferably of metal and this hopper communicates with the charging chamber 4f located in the upper end of the cupola. The coal is fed into this charging chamber and there preheated by steam which is contained 65 1n a steam jacket 5 surrounding the charging chamber, and steam is admitted to this jacket through the pipe 6. After passing around the annular steam jacket, the steam may pass off through the outlet pipe 7 and 70 this pipe is provided with a control valve 8 for usual purposes.

The restricted bottom 9 of the feed hopper may be closed by means of a conical shaped valve or gate 10 and the restricted bottom 11 75 of the charging chamber may be closed by a valve plug 12 of conical shape similar to the. valve plug 10. Below the charging chamber isarranged the still which as here shown is in the form of a cylinder lhaving an inverted conical shaped bottom 14 and provided with perforations or holes 15 in its walls. The perforations or holes do not eX- tend to the top of the still or cylinder 13 and the upper end, with the closed walls, of the still or cylinder forms a gas chamber 16 for the volatile gases that are freed from the charge of coal in the still. The volatile gas passes from the gas chamber 16 through the outlet or gas pipe 17 and is treated in usual 90 manner. Of course, the valve plu 12 is closed while the gas is being produce in the cylindrical still and the gas is compelled to pass from the chamber 16 through the gas pipe 17 as will be understood. In the bottom 95 of the cylindrical still, a central conical bottom portion 18 is provided and located within the inverted conical. portion 14 of the still, and this conical portion 18 is provided with a central vertical perforated pipe 19 that ex- 100 tends upwardly into the still to the topmost line of holes or perforations 15 in the walls of the still. Around the cylindrical still is arranged a cylindrical shell 2O which forms an annular steam space 21 around the perforated walls of the still, and steam is admitted to this space through thesteam pipe22. It will thus be apparent that when a charge of coal has been supplied to the distilling chamber and the steam is introduced to the steam chamber 21 through pipe 22, the steam passes through the perforated walls of the cylinder 13, through the tapered or conical bottom portions `and also through the perforated central pipe 19, into the coal bed. The chemical action induced by the presence of the steam in the coal bed frees the volatile gases and they pass up to the gas chamber 16 and thence out through the gas pipe 17.

To facilitate the treatment ofthe coal by hot steam, I provide means for superheating the svteam which includes a shell 23 surrounding the steam shell 20 and this shell provides an annular space 24 which is suppliedwith steam from the branch pipe 25. Thus the annular chamber 24 provides a superheater for the enclosed steam chamber 21 and the steam as it is fed to the coal is thus maintained at a superheated temperature to produce rapid destruction or distillation of the charge of coal in the still. The space 24 for tilling chamber.

superheating steam is provided with a drain pipe 26 and valve 27 to properly care for the condensed steam within the chamber 24.

The coke which is produced by the elimination of the gases from the coal is dumped from the still when the pipe 19 and its conical shaped lower end 18 are dropped down below the inverted conical bottom 14 of the still. For this purpose, I provide a conical shaped head 28 which together with the conical shaped bottom portion 18 closes the discharge neck 29 at the lower end of the dis- This head has a stein 30 which passes upwardly through the pipe 19 and thence through the conical plug valve 12 as well as through the valve 10. The valve 12 has a tubular stem 31 and the valve 10 has a tubular stem 32. The stem 30 passes through the tubular stem 31, and the tubular stem 31 and stem 30 both pass through the tubular stem 32 at the upper end of the cupola. These stems are operated through the instrumentality of their respective levers 33 pivoted in the bracket 34 at the feeding or charging end of the cupola, and these levers have links as 35, 36 and 37 that extend downwardly and are pivotally connected to the operating lcvers38, 39 and 40. Thus the feed valve 10 may be controlled by the lever 38 to permit feed of a charge to the charging chamber.

y The plug valve 12 is controlled by the lever 39 to close the gas chamber 16 and also retain a charge of coal in the charging chamthe coke is thus permitted to fall through the discharge neck 29 into this cooling hopper 41. The hopper 41 is provided with an inclined floor 42 to facilitate the discharge of the coke and a gate or track 43 is hinged at 44 to control the exit of coke from the cooling hopper. By means of a weight 45 on the weight arm 46 of the gate 43, the accumulated coke within the discharging chamber is automatically discharged from the discharge hopper.

It is essential that the coke be cooled before it is exposed to the' atmosphere, to prevent combustion, and for this purpose I provide a cooling apparatus in connection with the cooling chamber or dischar e hopper 41. A water jacket 47 surrounds t e cooling chamber and water is fed thereto through a pipe 48 and out from the cooling chamber through the outlet pipe 49 which is controlled by the valve 50. Thus the water may be circulated in this annular chamber 47 to carry ofi the excessive heat from the discharge hopper or cooling chamber and in this manner they heat 4from the coke is withdrawn before it is permitted to pass through the gate 43. 'As the coke slides down the incline 42 and through the gate 43, it is dumped into a car or conveyor 51 that travels through the trough or pit 52, and the coke is properly taken care of.

From the above description takensin connection with my drawings, it will be apparent that the coal may be handled with facility and the by-products of distillation are also dis' posed of with convenience. The coal is prepared and in successive charges is fed rapidly to the still and the preheated coal, together with the means for superheating the still, insures that the coal may be rapidly and continuously in uniform charges be passed through the still for conversion into gas and coke as above described. `By the utilization of the apparatus of my invention, both time and labor are saved in the process of treating the coal and thus the cost of production is reduced considerably. Various changes and alterations within the scope of my claims may be made in the structure exem lied in the drawings, without departing rom the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is- 1. A coal distillation apparatus comprising in combination a distillation chamber having foraminated walls, means for feeding a charge to the chamber, said chamber having a central hollow, foraminated, bottom portion and la removable bottom closure, a central, foraminated pipe rigid with said bottom portion and proJecting upwardly into the distillation chamber, and means for supplying steam through said oraminated parts to the interior of the distillation chamber.

2. A coal distillation apparatus comprising in combination a distlllaton chamber having foraminated walls, said chamber having an open center, foraminated, tapered bottom and a. reversely tapered, concentric, foraminated, bottom-portion, a removable closure for the bottom-portion, a foraminated pipe rigid with said bottom-portion and projecting upwardly into the distillation chamber, and means for supplying steam through said oraminated parts to the interior of the chamber.

In testimony whereof I affix m si nature.

ELMER H. R CO DS. 

